Prototyping Design

One of the most important phases of the design process is prototyping. Usually this begins with paper prototyping, where on the fly problem solving can quickly refine issues with your wireframes. As screens for a web portal or application take shape the best way to make your designs come alive is to make a high fidelity prototype.

This exercise has two main advantages. Firstly, finished prototypes are a great way to communicate with developers in a more complete way than wireframes can offer. They can spot issues and plan UI solutions earlier in development than ever before. This type of collaboration is part of the drive that sees the future convergence of the design and development disciplines. The second benefit of a detailed prototype kicks in when it comes to client sign off. There’s no substitute to showing a client a fully realised design that responds to their clicks and scrolls and outlines the full flow of the app.

“Unfortunately, the client that exists today is still pretty much the prototype design” – Shawn Fenning

With the proliferation of advanced prototyping software this process has become easier than ever. Some of the best are Marvel (Free), Invision (Free for first project), Axure (a more business and data driven package at about €100 per month). Another option is the upcoming Project Comet from Adobe. This will have the advantage of integrating with the rest of the Adobe suite, speeding up your workflow.

With this range of options available it’s never been easier to quickly realise your designs and test the flow without coding a single line.

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.